Sandy's Spotlight
book review
a housefly in autumn
by
scott nagele

5*****Stars Book: A Housefly in AutumnAuthor: Scott NageleGenre: YA/Historical FictionLength: Approximately 198 Pages A HOUSEFLY IN AUTUMN by SCOTT NAGELE is listed as a YA, but this book is for the young, the old and everyone in between. The setting is 19th century Europe and starts out with a gifted young writer with endless possibilities for the future. In one brief heroic moment, his dreams are shattered and the future no longer holds the endless possibilities he was once afforded. The message in this book is so important, everyone should be able to relate to it. I must admit that I read a lot of books. I enjoy many different genres, styles of writing and author’s imaginations. I’m lucky because when I read a book, no matter when or where it takes place, the author’s words transport me into their world. Sometimes this is a good thing. Sometimes it’s not so good. In A HOUSEFLY IN AUTUMN, the character of Anders Christiansen reached out of the pages, grabbed me by the throat and made me fall in love with him, care about him and feel his humble pain. When I first picked this book up, I didn’t stop reading until I was 22% into the book. I only stopped there, because my vision is bad and my eyes couldn’t see the words on the page any longer. My first update on Goodreads was, “What a beautifully sad start.” Mr. Nagele made me feel the glory in achievement, as well as the pain and grief of losing something so very important to the main character, Anders. Mr. Nagele’s writing throughout the book was flawless and took me back to that simpler time in history and helped me become a part of the time and life of the main character. You’re going to need two things readily available when you get to the end of this book; a box of tissues and a quiet place to read where people won’t look at you weird because you are crying so hard and making faces trying to keep your eyes clear enough to read. When you get to that point in the book, it will not cross your mind to put the book down long enough to wipe your face, blow your nose and dry your tears. You just won’t want to take the time away from the book to do any of that. A HOUSEFLY IN AUTUMN by SCOTT NAGELE made it deep into the selection process of the 2012 ABNA (Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award) process and rightly so. This book is an amazing read. Like most readers, I have my favorites in genres, those books that are my go-to books that I read and re-read many times. I also gift those books to friends and family members. In that vein, I’d like to say that A HOUSEFLY IN AUTUMN is a book that everyone would enjoy. To go farther, I think that if you only purchased one book this year, this should be the one. A HOUSEFLY IN AUTUMN by SCOTT NAGELE is a book I won’t soon forget and one that I can promise you, I will be reading again. This book surpassed any expectations I had when I opened the first page and quickly soared to my favorite Historical Fiction novel I’ve ever read. The writing was impeccable and I fell head over heels in love with the characters. As a reader, I’m thrilled this gem of a book crossed my Kindle.

This book reached out and touched my heart and more importantly, made me feel.

PURCHASE LINK:

BLURB:

At 17, Anders Christiansen was a young man overflowing with potential. All his teachers believed he was destined to blossom into a leading man of letters, enjoying a life of rich rewards.

That was before the accident.

Now, Anders's great talent lies fallow. He can't produce the complex ideas he once did. His thoughts are slow and his words simple. The world holds little promise for him anymore.

Struggling to build a meaningful life out of the wreckage of his dreams, Anders learns the value of simple treasures. Loyalty, devotion, and even sacrifice hold rewards of their own to renew hope after tragedy. Love can cause hurt, but he who gives love when he hurts the most will reap a joy outweighing the pain.

Anders gives meaning to his life in the way he spends it. He will face grave danger to spare those he loves, and though his gifts be diminished, he will share them freely with even the humblest of children. Though never sought, Anders's reward is immense and enduring, showing the millions of reasons to go on sharing even the simplest of gifts.